Lawyer Monthly Magazine - February 2020 Edition

TRAFFICKING Lawyers Taking a Stand Against Human Trafficking Expert Insight Marie Napoli, Partner & Michelle M. Greene, Associate, Napoli Shkolnik PLLC 42 WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM | FEB 2020 Slavery and human trafficking are actions many would like to think took place a long time ago. Yet, despite the Constitution’s Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery, millions of men, women and children are still held against their will and forced into trafficking around the world. What is just as alarming as these grave human rights violations, is the rate at which we have seen them grow. Every year up to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders, of which eighty per cent are females. Trafficking also occurs in every type of community, oftentimes as an insidious scourge on the community. A focus on legislation in combating the crime of trafficking and lessening its effects is thus vital, particularly for women, not only in the United States, but around the world. to be treated as victims, and thereby receive protections, rather than as offenders. Although sex trafficking cases are difficult, the litigation is growing as attorneys are continuing to advance claims in state and federal courts across the country. Lawyers are in a strategic position to use their skillset to help the survivors, lead critical research and seek reparation. One such lawyer is Marie Napoli, who is a published author of a variety of legal topics, including the MeTooMovement and the Child Victims Act, which have been published in The New York Law Journal, by the Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association (BWBA) and Lawdragon. Notably, she was named to the National Trial Lawyers Women’s Rights Top 10 Attorneys in 2019. It is dedicated women like Ms. Napoli who can help shed a light into the horrors of human trafficking. Recognizing human trafficking as an insult to basic human dignity, Ms. Napoli has called for stronger efforts to combat the crime and support trafficking survivors. Raising awareness on this issue and increasing training for attorneys will enable trafficked women and minors Federal and State Regulations Battling this Issue In the last two decades, there has been a momentous change from the anti-trafficking movement. Largely due to increased knowledge and Contact Marie Napoli, Partner Napoli Shkolnik PLLC 360 Lexington Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10017 www.napolilaw.com (212) 397-1000 info@napolilaw.com The 2019 Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) and Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) restricts online advertisement from advertising for commercial sex, making the act of trafficking more difficult.